Shop tailored toward kids, moms

Melissa Henriksen, owner of the Little Love Bug Boutique on 1st Street in Menominee, adds another outfit to the rack of gently-used children’s clothing. The resale shop features high quality, name brand merchandise for children from newborn to size 10/12. EagleHerald/Mike Desotell

MENOMINEE - Parents know that kids outgrow their clothes a lot quicker than they wear them out. Parents also know that shelling out money for name brand attire for tykes can get pretty expensive.

No one knows that better than Melissa Henriksen, a mother, school teacher and new business owner. This past May, she opened the Little Love Bug Boutique at 621 1st St. At first the shop, which features mainly children's clothing, was only open on Saturdays, but now that school is out for the summer, it's open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.

Most of the clothing is gently used, free of stains and rips and in excellent condition. Customers will find both boys and girls clothing ranging from newborn to size 10/12. Many of the garments are name brand such as Gap, Gymboree, Children's Place, Justice and others. Henriksen also has a small stock of women's clothing, including maternity.

An avid second hand shopper, she knows what to look for and where to look.

"I go to rummage sales and thrift stores here and in Green Bay," she said, with new merchandise coming in every week.

Henriksen also purchases clothes from people who stop in. She doesn't buy everything and she has a set of strict quality guidelines.

She and her husband Kevin spent a lot of time making the store ship shape and kid and customer friendly.

"I wanted to make my shop a little different," she said. "I don't know if it was the teacher in me but I created a little craft center for the kids in the front of the store, or they can sit in back and read." There's also a place where mom's can sit and talk and enjoy a cup of coffee, with juice and snacks available for the kids.

Henriksen said the downtown location is ideal, especially in the summer with so much happening there.

"The other shops and restaurants have been helping," she said. "It's great being located between established businesses like New Horizon's Travel and Trends & Traditions. And now that Sunny Side Up opened next door, foot traffic has picked up even more."

For budget conscious parents, Henriksen said you can't go wrong with the quality, selection and price. And although summer has just started to kick into high gear, it won't be long before children return to their classrooms. Shopping now could save a lot of money down the road.

"Back to school is one of the biggest times of the year that parents are shopping," Henriksen stressed. "This should definitely be one of their first stops for saving money and getting all the basics they would need."